The heat of combustion of 2-propanol at 298.15 K, determined in a bomb calorimeter, is -33.41 kJ/g. For the combustion of one mole of 2-propanol, determine (a) $\Delta U$ and (b) $\Delta H$
So I managed to determine $\Delta U$ by first finding the amount grams in one of 2-propanol and then using that number with 33.41 kJ/g...
I'm not able to determine Delta H as I'm not sure what to do... Please help and guide me.
Thanks!
Are you supposed to determine $\Delta_rH$ for the reaction (which is $\Delta_cH$ for the combustion of 2-propanol) or are you supposed to determine $\Delta_fH$ for the formation of 2-propanol?
If the first case, it might be hard.
The change in internal energy $U$ is equal to the sum of the heat transferred $q$ and the work done $w$. If we assume that only pressure volume work is done, then:
$$\Delta U=q+w = q-p\Delta V $$
The negative sign in front of $p\Delta V$ is to ensure that a decrease in volume is work being done on the system (system gains energy).
As a thermodynamic potential, internal energy is only easy to use if the pressure is constant (and $\Delta V$ is measurable), which is not true in a bomb calorimeter, or the volume is constant (so $\Delta V =0$), which is true in a bomb calorimeter.
At constant pressure: $\Delta U=q$.
Enthalpy is defined such that $$\Delta H = \Delta U + \Delta(pV) = q - p\Delta V + p\Delta V + V\Delta p $$ $$\Delta H = q + V\Delta p$$
Thus, enthalpy change is only easy to use if the volume is constant (true in a bomb calorimeter) and the pressure change is knowable (you were not given that data) or if the pressure does not change (so that $\Delta p=0$).
The second case is simpler.
If you were asked to determine $\Delta_f H$ for the formation of 2-propanol, you probably are encouraged to assume that for the combustion reaction $\Delta_rH\approx \Delta_cU$ and go from there. Then, you will need a balanced equation (2-propanol + oxygen forms what?) and some standard enthalpies of formation for the products.
$$\Delta_rH \approx \sum_{products}{\Delta_fH}-\sum_{reactants}{\Delta_fH}$$
